Umsontihttp://www.umsonti.org.za
Community ForestryMon, 26 Sep 2016 14:18:51 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1Forestry the backbone of development in rural KZNhttp://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=751
http://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=751#respondFri, 02 Sep 2016 07:27:41 +0000http://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=751...read more]]>The pioneering Umgano Community Initiative, built on a solid foundation of forestry, has progressed to the next level with the recent opening of a sawmill. The business, started by members of the Mabandla Community near Creighton in southern KZN nearly 20 years ago, has become a model for rural development, bringing jobs, skills and opportunities where none existed before.

The leadership behind the Umgano Initiative is the Mabandla Community Trust, headed up by current chairman, Mayford Jaca. lnkosi LT Baleni, Chief of the Mabandla Tribal Authority, has also played a pivotal role in the project from the outset.

The Trust was instrumental in mobilising the funds required to establish 850 ha of eucalyptus (for pulp and poles) and 450 ha of pine on a sawlog rotation back in 1998. This included an R11 million ‘Subsistence Land Acquisition Grant’ from the government to Mabandla community members, which was committed to the project, plus an R2 million loan from the Land Bank. A commercial forestry business owned by the Trust, Umgano Development Company (Pty) Ltd, was established to run the Trust’s business interests, which started to generate revenue in 2008 when harvesting of eucalyptus timber commenced.

According to Umgano Devco CEO, Zweli Baleni, a decision was taken by the Trust right from the outset to re-invest the proceeds of the forestry business to create further agricultural and commercial businesses that would further empower the community.

“We aim to utilise our land in a sustainable manner for the benefit of the Mabandla community;’ said Zweli.

This has seen the establishment of community agriculture and livestock businesses, and an eco-tourism business. A strategic partnership with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, which resulted in the establishment of a 1 500 ha nature reserve on Mabandla community land, provides a platform for the eco-tourism business.

Sawmill

Meanwhile, the commencement of thinnings operations in the pine compartments created an opportunity to launch a sawmilling business. A new company, Umgano Timbers (Pty) Ltd, was set up for the purposes of running the sawmill. It is owned by Umgano Devco (70%) and Umsonti Community Forestry (30%), ‘ a non-profit organisation focusing on community development. The directors of Umsonti are forestry and development specialists, some of whom have been working with the Mabandla Community since the inception of the Forestry Business in 1998 (namely Peter Nixon and Themba Radebe).

Funding required to establish the sawmill came from a R1,4 million loan from IDC and R400 000 raised by the Devco and R200 000 raised by Umsonti. A reconditioned Wood-Mizer LT20 breakdown saw and a Wood-Mizer multi-rip board edger which cuts the timber to size, makes up the backbone of the mill. These machines will be used to produce wet-off-saw structural lumber for local markets. In addition, a pallet line and are-saw are being set up to handle the material that is not suitable for structural timber.

Local entrepreneur Dave Wigley has designed and built the sawmill from scratch and will manage it going forward. Dave said that Phase One of the sawmill development would create 17 jobs, and Phase Two 24 jobs. The sawmill currently employs 11 people, all of whom come from the local community.

Once completed, the sawmill will produce around 150 cubic metres of structural timber and another 150 cubes of pallet material per month. All the raw material will be sourced from the community forestry. Projected annual turnover of the mill is R4,6 million.

Self-reliance is a key objective of the business. The timber used to construct the sawmill buildings was sourced from the community plantation, and was sawn and treated on site. Power for the sawmill is supplied by a diesel generator, but plans are in place to generate energy on site using sawdust waste and off-cut slabs together with solar and wind power (there is no Eskom power at the site).

Training Academy

The need to provide skills training to employees of the sawmill and the other businesses has seen the Umgano Devco partnering with established training development service providers to establish the Umgano Training Academy. The Academy has secured discretionary grant funding of R3 million from the FP&M Seta to create bursaries for five community members to attend university and set up the training facility at Mabandla. According to Jonathan Wigley, the Umgano Devco’s partner in the training enterprise, the Academy’s first priority will be to train members of the Umgano Devco with the skills required to operate their various businesses effectively, and thereafter to provide training opportunities for the wider community.

Thus training courses will initially focus on skills required in the forestry, sawmilling, agricultural crops, livestock and eco-tourism businesses. The Academy has partnered with KwaMahlati Training Services, based out of Crammond, to assist with the development of training materials and to provide access to facilitators, assessors and moderators, until it can stand on its own feet. It is also co-owned by Umsonti NPC. “Providing accredited training will play a vital role in the success of the whole initiative;’ said Jonathan. In addition, the Academy will look at meeting the needs of the broader community by providing adult education, upgrading science and maths learning, and general business skills training. There are moves afoot to provide forestry and agricultural training to Government, with one contract currently being initiated with the Eastern Cape Rural Development and Agrarian Reform.

Forestry – the backbone of the Project The forestry business remains the backbone of the Umgano Initiative. The forestry company has its own directors who are accountable and report to the Devco Board. Zweli said that the plantation is FSC certified, employs 120 people, and has a current asset value of R48 million. The business harvests 1 800 tonnes of timber per month. Markets for the Eucalyptus timber include Sappi-Saiccor and treated pole manufacturers. The Eucalyptus harvesting consumes roughly 90 ha of timber per annum, and this either has to be re-planted or coppiced.

Technical and management support for the forestry business has been provided by Peter Nixon and Themba Radebe of Rural Forest Management. They have been involved from the very beginning, engaging with the community, securing planting permits, assisting with the sourcing of funding, set-up of the business structures, establishing the plantations on the hills around the Mabandla settlement, and on-going business support. Recently James Ballantyne of Umsonti has been assisting with the harvesting methods and efficiency and with the start of the pine thinning activities to supply the sawmill. All silviculture and harvesting operations are handled in-house under the watchful eye of Deron Bhengu (silviculture foreman) and Bheki Mhlungu (harvesting foreman), who report directly to Zweli Baleni. Meanwhile, the Umgano Devco has applied for permits to plant an additional 200 ha of pine to boost the sawmill’s raw material resources.

]]>http://www.umsonti.org.za/?feed=rss2&p=7510A community fights poverty through innovationhttp://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=747
http://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=747#respondFri, 02 Sep 2016 06:35:19 +0000http://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=747...read more]]>A total of 7000ha was transferred to the Mabandla community in Kwazulu-Natal as part of government’s land reform programme. The community has since established several successful ventures, including a commercial forestry enterprise, on the land.

As part of government’s land reform programme, 7 000ha of southern KwaZulu-Natal’s Mabandla area were transferred to the Mabandla Traditional Authority (MIA) in 1995. Over the next 18 years MTA established a commercial forestry enterprise, as well as a number of other business ventures, to economically empower its community of 20 000 people. With the assistance of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) and Umsonti, a non-profit organisation established by forestry experts Peter Nixo4 Themba Radebe and other rural development experts, MTA has become a successful community project empowering the community through the creation of sustainable ventures. The MTAS first initiative was the establishment of its commercial forestry enterprise. In 1996, the late iNkosi Lenford, the leader of the MTA at the time, recruited Peter and Themba to assist in the establishment of the MIA’s mixed pine and eucalyptus plantations. Three years later, the first trees were planted.

Umgano Devco

According to James Ballantyne, Umsonti managing director, the MTA first established the Mabandla Community Trust as the legal vehicle through which the investments, expenses and income from the MTI(s commercial forestry enterprise were managed. However, in 199&i t became evident that the commercial forestry enterprise was only the fit step towards alleviating local poverty, and that the MIA’S 7 000ha could be utilised to generate even more income through other ventures. “It was decided that the community’s enterprises needed to stand alone from each other. It would not make financial sense to use [one] enterprise, such as the forestry enterprise, to cross-subsidise another,“ explains James. So with the assistance of Umsonti and other supporters, the MTA formed a commercial company, Umgano Development Company (Pty) Ltd (Umgano Devco). This became the umbrella management company of all the community’s subsidiaries. The company is 100% owned by and accountable to the Mabandla Community Trust.

Forestry

Umgano Forestry (Pty) Ltd, which is wholly owned by Umgano Devco, was founded on 1350ha on the lower slopes of the Umgano Mountain with an R1 million grant from the Eastern Cape Department of Land Affairs (now the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform) and a R2 million loan from the Land Bank. The company employs over 100 full-time and 30 part-time employees and has a net asset value of R48 million. It also generates an annual turnover of more than R12million and its mixed pine and eucalyptus plantations are certified by the internationally recognised. Forest Stewardship Council. Umgano Forestry produces 1 800t of timber per month from its 900ha of eucalyptus plantations. Most of this output is sold to paper giant Sappi Southern Africa.

Timber

Umgano Timbers (Pty) Ltd, which became operational in 2016 is a small-scale sawmill that produces sawn timber from the 450ha community-owned pine resource. It also produces treated timber from the community’s eucalyptus plantations. Zweli Baleni CEO of Umgano Devco, explains that the forestry industry requires a long-term commitment, and that the community started making a profit from the enterprise only in 2008. “Our people decided that it would increase job opportunities and overall community income if these profits were reinvested into developing and operating additional business units. Umgano Timbers was one of these.” The company was established with an R16million loan from the IDC. Umgano Devco also invested R400 000 for 70% ownership, while Umsonti invested R200 000 for 30% ownership. Umgano Timbers’ projected initial annual turnover is R4.6 million and it is expected to generate R1″1 million net profit per year.

Livestock Association

Umgano Devco established the Umgano Livestock Association in 2015. The association which is wholly owned and driven by the community, aims to generate a sustainable income for Mabandla’s cattle owners, so that they are able to afford good breeding veterinary care, supplementary feed and fencing. With funding from DAFF’S Land Care Programme, the Umgano Livestock Association cleared and recovered jungle wattle areas, and created fenced grazing camps for its cattle. “The aim is to have as many of Mabandla’s cattle owners as possible putting their animals into the Umgano Livestock Association” says Themba Umsonti’s social and technical facilitator. “These will form a nuclear breeding herd that will be managed effectively using the knowledge and experience of experts in beef production. The Mabandla cattle owners who contribute animals to the association will share future profits on a pro-rata basis depending on how many animals they contributed.” Fifty-three cattle have already been given to the association and the goal is to have at least 100 cattle to ensure the business’s economic viability. “Mabandla’s cattle owners are very attached to their animals. Many are taking some time to decide to contribute their cattle to the association. When they do, they’ll realise that these animals will be well looks=d after, will regularly produce good quality calves, and will start getting regular income from their contribution.”
CROPS MTA” Umgano Devco and Umsonti are also developing a business plan for a crop subsidiary, Umgano Agrico. According to Zweli, this project, utilising 140h4 will consist of a timber and vegetable seedling nursery, a crop and fruit production farm, a vegetable processing plant and a packaging house. “Umgano Agrico will employ about 321 people and will be majority-owned by Umgano Devco. An investment of around R48 million is needed, and the projected annual turnover in five years is expected to be R54 million, with a net profit of R17million.”

Eco Adventures

Umgano Devco plans to further develop Umgano Eco Adventures (established in 2014) to attract more tourists to the region. The subsidiary is 70% owned by Umgano Devco and 30% owned by Umsonti. Activities in development include kayaking, river tubing, white water rafting, canyoning, birding and hiking. Tourist accommodation is in the process of being built with wood products from Umgano Forestry and Umgano Timbers. Zweli says that Umgano Devco and Umsonti are sourcing the R46 million funding required to get Umgano Eco Adventures fully operational.

Training Academy

Umgano Devco’s and Umsonti’s Umgano Training Academy was registered in April 2016. This subsidiary will offer relevant accredited training to two groups of people: Mabandla community members, in order to improve the skills productivity and safety of those employed in Umgano Devco’s subsidiaries and entrepreneurs in Mabandla wishing to establish their own businesses. “The Umgano Project has a proven track record of almost 20 years in rural community development. A fundamental principle of its ongoing success is to acquire skilled personnel for each business unit and link them to a comprehensive skills transfer programme for community members,” Zweli says.

Transport and logistics is one of the biggest challenges faced by the Umgano forestry business, and constitutes 40% of the costs, according to Zweli Baleni, CEO of Umgano Devco.

Initially, the forestry team used a tractor and bundle trailer to move harvested timber from the field to a roadside depot. It was picked up from there by transport contractors who hauled the timber to Sappi-Saiccor in Umkomaas, a distance of around 190 kms. This journey includes a long stretch of rugged, gravel road. Last year IDC came on board with a loan to enable the Umgano Devco to purchase new loading and transport equipment to help cope with the increased volumes that resulted from the commencement of pine harvesting for the sawmill, and to give the forestry team more versatility.

A new Dezzi haulage tractor and 6-meter tip trailer replaced the old tractor and bundle trailer combo and handles the short haul from in-field to the depot and sawmill. Shorthaul distances range from six to twelve kms.

“We needed more versatile equipment to be able to handle the pine for the sawmill, as well as the gum pulp and up to seven-metre poles,” explained Peter Nixon of Rural Forest Management. “The Dezzi is faster and more powerful, and can travel at between 20-30km/ h:’

The Devco also purchased a new Mercedes Benz Axor timber truck equipped with a Palfinger crane for loading and offloading. The truck, which has a 30-ton payload, is used to haul one load of pine to the sawmill per day, and to haul pulp timber to the Donnybrook rail siding, a distance of some 60 km from the plantation. The balance of Umgano’s pulp timber is hauled by independent hauliers to Sappi-Saiccor.

According to Peter, negotiations with Transnet Freight Rail to re-open the branch line to Riverside are on-going. Riverside is just 18 kms from the plantation. Peter says if this line was re-opened, it would save the forestry business R2 million a year net in transport costs alone. The Umgano Devco also purchased two Bell loggers, one assigned to the plantation, and the other to the sawmill.

]]>http://www.umsonti.org.za/?feed=rss2&p=7550Umgano Sawmill Openinghttp://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=719
http://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=719#respondWed, 27 Jul 2016 13:07:13 +0000http://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=719...read more]]>The day has come, the Umgano Timbers sawmill has officially been opened. The opening event was attended by all the staff and dignatories. Stuart Barlett from the IDC gave the keynote speech.

Umgano Forestry and sawmill staff in front of the Umgano equipment

Cutting of the ribbon

Stuart Bartlett from the IDC talking as the Keynote speaker

The tent with all staff and dignatories

]]>http://www.umsonti.org.za/?feed=rss2&p=7190Snow at Umganohttp://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=720
http://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=720#respondMon, 25 Jul 2016 13:05:56 +0000http://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=720Umgano was transformed last week into a winter wonderland with a great dusting of snow. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy.

]]>http://www.umsonti.org.za/?feed=rss2&p=7200Zintwala’s Honey and Jam Projecthttp://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=605
http://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=605#respondMon, 06 Jun 2016 13:42:39 +0000http://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=605...read more]]>After our first collection for 2016, Zintwala managed to collect 135 kg of honey which translated into 268 bottles of honey. The 2015 season (the 1st with Pat Nolan assisting) saw us collecting only 119 bottles of honey, and 2014 was about 40 bottles.

Below is the container used for extracting honey and storing equipment and supers and shows the team getting ready to rob and sort out hives at Zintwala.

Below we are bottling the honey and see it making its debut at the Byrne May FairHere are some of the latest photos from the Zintwala Honey and Jam project. Below, from left to right we have James Ballantyne, Simon Ngcobo, Pat Nolan, Lawrence Ntsizwana and Robert Chiya

Below you can see Pat Nolan Bee boxes in trees at Zintwala

Pat Nolan bringing Bee boxes to put in trees at Zintwala

Honey site where all the boxes are near the Zintwala offices

Beekeeper training

]]>http://www.umsonti.org.za/?feed=rss2&p=6050Umgano Sawmill Updatehttp://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=683
http://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=683#respondSat, 28 May 2016 12:06:11 +0000http://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=683...read more]]>Progress on the Umgano Timbers sawmill continues well with the shed and conveyor in place, the decking is down and the first sawmill machine in place. The office block is also coming along great with its custom walls.

]]>http://www.umsonti.org.za/?feed=rss2&p=6830Umgano Sawmill Updatehttp://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=594
http://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=594#respondThu, 31 Mar 2016 12:29:17 +0000http://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=594...read more]]>The sawmill at Umgano is taking shape quite nicely. Below are some photos to show the progress so far. The pictures show the progress on the Umgani Timber office building, our brand new Umgano Fleet truck and the sawmill shed.

]]>http://www.umsonti.org.za/?feed=rss2&p=5940Eco Adventureshttp://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=589
http://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=589#respondTue, 15 Mar 2016 08:38:30 +0000http://www.umsonti.org.za/?p=589...read more]]>Umgano Eco Adventures, the tourism company that falls under Umgano Development Company, was recently featured in a very cool article by adventurelife.co.za. Ico Schutte ‘tagged along’ on a course down the Umzinkulu River. Click the link below to read more about his trip.

It is evident that as the days start to get longer and the nights shorter, winter slowly becomes a memory. Are you ready for spring and its colourful coat? We understand spring is a season filled with lots of surprises. We are looking forward to seeing some of the first migrant birds returning to our hotspot from across the world. Where else is better to experience spring fever… except in the Maputaland–Pondoland–Albany Hotspot?

In this season’s edition, we begin by taking you to the Hogsburg/Stutterheim Key Biodiversity Area. We explore ways in which natural resource protection and community empowerment can work together. We further look at how the establishment of the Amathole Catchment Forum will contribute to the water security of the catchment. We then move down to the Wild Coast to look at the introduction and implementation of the Blue Economy. Who would not want to hear about the hands-on approach to supporting community biodiversity stewardship in KwaZulu-Natal? We close with the celebration of the 111th anniversary of the proclamation of Umgano State Forest – yes, 111 years!

Anyone may sign up to receive this newsletter or share their MPAH–CEPF-funded project stories through submitting written contributions to Kennedy Nemutamvuni (Learning Network Officer, South African National Biodiversity Institute [SANBI]; K.Nemutamvuni@sanbi.org.za). Please also remember to send information and resources from your project that you would like to share on the website.

Thanks to all members from various projects who have contributed to this newsletter.

We are looking forward to sharing our stories with you in this edition.

Fish, frogs, gurgling streams and expansive grasslands

The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is a local non-governmental organisation that implements high-impact conservation action across southern and east Africa. To help address water security, poverty challenges, and threats to biodiversity, the EWT’s Amathole Freshwater Species Conservation Project (AFSCP) that falls under the Source to Sea Programme is in the process of establishing natural resource conservation through the generation of a water-linked green-economy in the Amathole region of the Eastern Cape. The two key objectives running concurrently are to improve natural resource protection and to empower communities to value the resources under their custodianship, and secondly to contribute to the green economy. Being within the Maputaland–Pondoland–Albany Biodiversity Hotspot and a high water yield zone, the Amathole Mountains are extremely important regionally. There are significantly high levels of floral and faunal endemism within the more localised Amathole region, with a number of these species being threatened. The overall goal of the AFSCP is to ensure the conservation of this biodiversity, for the benefit of communities and ecosystems, through the implementation of conservation actions.

Conservation interventions are based on species monitoring data and all this information is being incorporated into well-structured, comprehensive and adaptive conservation plans for two selected threatened Amathole endemic indicator species: the border barb, Barbus trevelyani, (66 700 ha extent of occurrence), for conservation of aquatic habitats and the Amathole toad, Vandijkophrynus amatolicus, (180 000 ha extent of occurrence), representative of grasslands. This work is being completed in collaboration with a number of partners and role players and with funding provided by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF). Research and monitoring has shown that these species are largely affected by habitat destruction and degradation, therefore rehabilitation, alien plant removal and stewardship in collaboration with relevant communities and landowners are some of the key conservation actions being implemented. Essential monitoring data is also being collected on these two species as well as their habitats and the factors contributing to their threatened status.

The border barb is a small fish species indigenous to the upper catchments of two river systems in the Eastern Cape: the Buffalo and Keiskamma rivers. Evidence from baseline research and longer-term monitoring conducted by the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) and EWT indicated two major threats to the species: invasion by alien and invasive fishes and habitat degradation. In addition, genetic research has indicated that the barbs in the Keiskamma River are genetically distinct from those in the Buffalo River and furthermore that barbs from the Tyume River, a tributary of the Keiskamma, were also genetically different from the rest of the catchment. Coupled with this, the Tyume River has been identified as the catchment with the highest rates of degradation; most extensive distribution of alien invasive fish species; and the most limited population of border barbs, and is therefore the river with the highest priority for conservation action.

The Amathole toad is rarer still and there is very limited information and baseline data available to assist with management plans: the species is very possibly one of South Africa’s rarest seen frogs despite multiple and concerted efforts to find it in recent years. After a thirteen year absence, active searching during the past five years has turned up just five individual adults. As a consequence, the Amathole Toad is listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Critically Endangered. The Amathole toad has become a focal species for the EWTs’ Threatened Amphibian Programme and the AFSCP in the past two years, who are working with farmers and forestry companies in the area to conserve and manage known localities for the species.

Many of the stream environments in the area are also essential for the provision of freshwater to surrounding rural communities and their livestock while simultaneously being vital habitats for a number of threatened species, including the Amathole toad and the border barb. Although the region has been earmarked as one of the few in South Africa with surplus water resources, this precious ecological resource is not currently being sustainably managed, which will influence the water security of rural communities in future. In an attempt to ensure that priceless freshwater resources are conserved for the benefit of all, the EWT has initiated the development of the Amathole Catchment Forum with the aim of creating a platform for collaboration and communication on catchment issues between organisations, communities and government. The aim is improved management of water resources for the long term and a noticeable improvement of the natural capital that is properly governed by the local people.

The Amathole Catchment Forum – securing biodiversity and water for the future

By Emily Botts, Independent Consultant

The Amathole Catchment Forum is emerging as a strong entity with support from a wide variety of interested people and organisations. At its third meeting, in Hogsback on 21 May 2015, the vision, strategy and structure of the forum were discussed. A large number of organisations were represented at the meeting, including non-governmental organisations, government, communities and research institutions. All were in favour of the formalisation of the Amathole Catchment Forum, which will represent the interests of local stakeholders in the region to the broader Mzimvubu–Tsitsikamma Catchment Management Agency. One of the discussion groups proposed a succinct summary of the motivation for such a forum: ‘To promote efficient, effective and sustainable catchment management’.

Sustainable catchment management is important for maintaining well-functioning ecosystems in upper catchment areas. These are important ecological infrastructure that supports the provision of water-related ecosystem services and provide habitat important to unique biodiversity. The Amathole Mountains have unique forest and grassland habitats hosting endangered species such as the critically endangered Cape Parrot and Amathole toad, and the border barb, a fish species probably endemic to the Keiskamma and Buffalo river systems. The mountains are primarily drained by the Kei, Buffalo, Keiskamma and Fish rivers, with the water from the Buffalo catchment being the primary water source for the expanding metropolitan area of Buffalo City (including East London). This water is still of good quality, and there is currently a surplus of water. However, ensuring that this remains the case requires that sustainable management practices are established in the upper catchment in the Amathole Mountains. This sustainable management can also be done in such a way as to provide opportunities for local development and job creation.

The idea for such a forum evolved from a series of grants made by the CEPF in the Amathole region, to the Wild Bird Trust, Border Rural Committee and Endangered Wildlife Trust. The Endangered Wildlife Trust has continued this legacy with the formalisation of the Amathole Catchment Forum as part of its Healthy Catchment Alliance, a project funded by the European Union, which aims to promote ‘natural resource conservation and management for the generation of a water-linked green-economy in the Eastern Cape and southern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa’. Government representation included the Amathole District Municipality, the Department of Environmental Affairs’ Natural Resource Management programme, Department of Water and Sanitation, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Amathole Water, and Aspire, a local economic development agency. Non-governmental organisations that were represented included the Wild Bird Trust, Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA), Savoury Hub and Border Rural Committee. Most significantly, the meeting was well attended by a large number of community representatives from surrounding rural communities. They were interested to hear how the forum could represent their needs, particularly regarding employment opportunities and socio-economic development.

After an informative presentation by guest speaker Kerry McLean of WESSA, the participants broke into smaller groups to discuss details of the structure and strategy of the forum. Most agreed that the forum should conduct catchment management activities that result in clean, accessible water, with a strong community component. An important aspect of the discussion dealt with the geographic coverage of the forum, which needs to be well defined to determine the relevant stakeholders and small enough to be effective. It is anticipated that the forum will meet biannually and produce a quarterly newsletter. Sub-committees on specific topics will maintain closer working contact.

Given the impressive levels of interest and participation at the 3rd Amathole Catchment Forum meeting, momentum is well underway for the establishment of a highly effective and relevant catchment management partnership.

Land reform beneficiaries receive support on biodiversity management

By Ian Little, EWT

With the land-reform process increasingly re-allocating rural properties to indigenous people in KwaZulu-Natal, it has become pertinent that communities be empowered on matters of biodiversity conservation to ensure the long-term sustainability of ecosystems and the conservation of species. In an ideal situation, the land reform process should result in developments that enhance sustainable community livelihood potentials with emphasis on balancing the biophysical, socio-economic and political aspects of the development for human wellbeing. However, the vast majority of the land claimants in KwaZulu-Natal have no land management training, resulting in extensive overgrazing in most communal lands.

Uncontrolled grazing and burning impact not only on farming but have far-reaching, negative impacts on the quality of the grasslands and associated biodiversity, which are sorely needed for the sustainability of land claimants’ basic needs (including fertile soil for crops and year-round grazing land). Proper plans for grazing management and controlled burning of grasslands on claimed properties are non-existent in most cases.

In order to breach this gap, the EWT’s Threatened Grassland Species Programme, in partnership with Mondi Group’s Education, Sustainability, Livelihoods, Water and Sanitation Team, organised and facilitated a series of community dialogues on grassland management focusing on sustainable grazing and fire management. As part of the initiation process, the project concept was explained to the Eyethu and Syathokoza trusts, which represent the interest of the AmaHlongwa and AmaBomvu communities from Kranskop.

A participatory environmental audit involving the community trusts and community representatives was used to gain an understanding of the context of local issues that are affecting grassland management. The participants developed a list of local environmental concerns, which were later used to inform an approach for community workshops. The community workshops improve understanding of conservation needs and the potential of these to benefit rural people. Topics included sustainable grazing practice, including carrying capacity and rotational grazing, and the presentation of a user-friendly toolkit for referencing grazing and fire management. A broader dialogue on grassland management highlighted further issues including changes that might have been observed and factors that might have effected such changes. This was a key process as the follow-up workshops will, amongst other things, address the educational gaps as per the perceptions of community members on local environmental issues that are related to the broader conservation of biodiversity within the local context.

Through funding support from the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund (CEPF), the project has been able to:

Obtain buy-in from the two trusts (Eyethu and Syathokoza), which represent the AmaBomvu and AmaHlongwa communities.

Establish partnerships and support from other role players like Working on Fire, which assisted with educational materials on fire awareness, as well as the local Mondi community engagement officer and forester, who are key players, as they live within the two communities.

Conduct participatory environmental audits with key community representatives. These informed approaches to the actual community workshops.

Facilitated community workshops, which focused on sustainable grazing and fire management. The workshops were well received by the communities and stakeholders.

Developed a community engagement facilitation strategy on grassland management, this includes user-friendly educational materials, which address the educational needs of the local community members. Providing materials in a local language was key to this.

There have been a number of valuable lessons learnt during the implementation of this project. The main lesson has been the need for a proper consultation process, as this can be the determining factor in success or failure of a project. Our approach has, in a short period of time, allowed us to enjoy support from the relevant trusts and also from the key members of the communities who play a major role in terms of organising community members. One possible limitation of this project is the short timeframe that has been allocated to this work. Long-term presence within communities is often necessary in order to influence practice.

Blue economy on the Wild Coast

By Bridget Corrigan, EWT

The Endangered Wildlife Trust is working in partnership with the local community-based organisation, Shell Reef Projects, on a blue economy project along a beautiful stretch of coastline near the Mzamba River on the Eastern Cape’s Wild Coast. Restoring the reef ecosystem through mussel reseeding and setting up the mechanisms for members of the local Sigidi community to sustainably manage this resource through innovative approaches is the main aim of this CEPF-funded project.

The sandstone reefs of this remote area serve as vital ecosystem support for associated marine life, much of which has declined or disappeared from traditional community harvesting areas. The Sigidi community have elected a volunteer conservation group with the specific aim of re-establishing mussel beds in their traditional seafood harvesting areas. A mangrove nursery site has also been identified on the north bank of the Mzamba River with a view to growing saplings for restoration of the Mzamba and Maphalane river estuaries.

The project has completed an ecological baseline assessment of the area and they are now working on getting buy-in from various government departments to employ a number of mussel reseeding techniques as a pilot, which will hopefully be up-scaled through a community-led process. We also recently facilitated a dolphin and whale guide training day for a group of local community members, in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) and the Wild Coast Sun. We will continue working with these prospective guides to ensure they receive all the support they need to develop this livelihood option further.

The White Paper on the National Environmental Management of the Ocean was approved by Cabinet in December 2013 and aims to ensure optimal and sustainable use of the marine environment. Ocean’s Economy (or ‘Blue Economy’) has been identified by the National Development Plan as one of the key drivers to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality in South Africa by 2030. In regions such as the Eastern Cape’s Wild Coast, the need for sustainable economic development and viable alternatives to destructive economic activities is dire. In order to truly sustain the Wild Coast, we need to sustain the communities of people that call the area home and this will take perseverance, creativity and a sound understanding of the environment and community dynamics.

Umgano State Forest celebrates the 111th anniversary of its proclamation

By Bill Bainbridge

This year marks the 111th anniversary of the proclamation of Umgano State Forest, which makes it one of the oldest protected areas in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) – only nine years younger than the first to be declared, namely the St. Lucia Game Reserve (part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park). It is relatively small in size, only 128.54 ha, but it conserves one of the most important indigenous forests in the province, if not in the country. While the State Forest is state land in the custody of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, it is entirely surrounded by the project area of the Umgano Project of the Mabandla Community. This community conservation initiative is therefore playing an important role in the protection of the forest reserve, in particular in helping to protect it from the fierce wildfires that seasonally ravage this area.

The main vegetation type of the Umgano Project Area is grassland, but there are also a number of Southern Mistbelt Forests (evergreen Podocarpus high forest) which are located in refugia within the project area in the general vicinity of Umgano State Forest. Other forests to the north and south of the project area are sufficiently close for regular local migrations of forest birds to take place, thereby providing important ecological benefits such as the exchange of seed of forest plants between the forests.
This forest type is one of the most threatened in the Maputaland–Pondoland–Albany Hotspot and the individual forests are of great intrinsic value, but are also valuable from the perspective of potential payment for ecosystem services.

A survey was recently commissioned by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife for a study of the indigenous forests that are spread in an arc along the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains, between Bulwer and Ngeli, near Kokstad. The study was undertaken by Dr Hylton Adie from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and colleagues. Amongst the findings of the study are that they consider Umgano Forest to be one of the best conserved forests in the province, if not in the country. Umgano Forest has somehow escaped early colonial logging, and has also remained largely free of contemporary community tree extraction. They found some evidence of timber and pole extraction, but report that this is localised and limited.

The study also found that the above-ground biomass (therefore organic carbon) was more than double that recorded in typical Mistbelt Forest elsewhere in KZN – of significance from a carbon sequestration perspective. The forest contains a number of trees of exceptional size. One individual Afrocarpus falcatus had a diameter at breast height of 166 cm and a height of 32 m. Umgano Project field staff has recently found other exceptionally large yellowwoods, which have been submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to determine whether they qualify for Champion Tree status.

The authors of the study consider the Umgano Forest a national treasure, which should be treated as such.

The State Forest is located in the Natural Zone of the Umgano Project Area, which is shortly to be designated as a nature reserve under the Protected Areas Act. This should provide the forest with a further level of protection.